Yesterday the Trump administration issued a new rule that defines and effectively expands the concept of “public benefits” used in making “public charge” determinations. The following are key questions and answers about the new rule.

There is no “where we came from” except a state of mind that longs for the values of the American founding. This is what is particularly disappointing about the president’s recent remarks. They give the impression that the president of the United States harbors a fundamental misunderstanding of what it means to be American.

America is a pretty special place. And let’s be honest: America is not only the straw that stirs the drink, it’s what keeps this whole planetary mishigash working as well as it does. But despite all of that, I wish we’d act like America really is just “OK” and aspire to even greater things as the world’s model of democratic capitalism done right.

As Pence has firmly, but circumspectly, maintained, sometime over the next 45-90 days if the migrant numbers don’t drop Mexico has committed to even further dramatic changes in its immigration policy. As Trump is fond of saying: “We’ll see what happens.”

Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico’s secretary of foreign affairs, stated that Mexico had agreed that if after 45 days it became clear that Mexico’s new measures had not reduced the migrant problem at the US border, his government would place a new reform measure before the Mexican Senate, which would make Mexico a “safe third country.”

Because Congress denied Trump’s proposed $4.5 billion budget in emergency border funds, he was left with inadequate tools to confront Mexico. Experts discuss Trump’s planned tariffs and their impacts on the US economy.

While the president’s approach to immigration is sometimes misguided and too often antagonistic, this step is a good and reasonable one to make sure that public assistance is directed primarily at US citizens.